Ordinary Amy - Casual take on Eva Trends Kimono

Last Thursday I introduced you to this gray lace body kimono from Eva Trends. I showed you two ways to wear the kimono, with a dress and with a long maxi skirt. You can see that post here. This week I wanted to show you two more ways to wear this fun piece by styling it over a pair of skinny jeans. 

I opted to put this on my Ordinary Amy column, because these two outfits are more what I would wear. I just feel more comfortable and confident in a pair of jeans, than I do in a dress. I'm sure that goes back to my tomboy days as a child chasing after my two older brothers. 

Look 1 - Jeans with Heels

This first look is a fun way to get dressed up for a date night.

For both of the looks in this post I used my dark wash Apt.9 skinny ankle jeans. I use these often in the warmer weather rolling up the hems to make them into crop pants. 

This black velvet top was given to me at Christmas. This City Streets brand, has short sleeves and a simple round neckline. Here is a similar one from Last Call by Neiman Marcus. Here is a cute tie-sleeved one from Nordstrom. 

This necklace I ordered from Christopher and Banks. The one problem with it, is that the chord is very stiff so it has a tendency to want to twist around. I make take it off that chord and put it on something different. It is really a unique piece. Here is a pretty fern one from Etsy. 

I grabbed my silver clutch and a silver bracelet. I finished off the look with my Comfort Plus gray heels. 

Look 2 - Jeans with sneakers.

For my second look, I really brought it down to completely casual. Using the same pair of jeans with the lace body kimono, I swapped out the velvet tee for my Wonder Woman tee. 

I did the front tuck with the tee. I think it would be even better with cuter belt. This black leather one is my go too and I wear it with everything, but usually it is functional, and doesn't show. 

I rolled my pant hems and my sleeves up for a more casual vibe. The only complaint I have about this lovely kimono is that the sleeves are narrow. It was hard for me to roll the sleeves up far enough to use the button on each side and my arms are not overly heavy. Someone with a larger diameter arm, would probably not be able to wear this. 

Here are two pictures that show you how the kimono is shaped. The truth is, it was a very cold day and the static was making the kimono stick to my clothes and itself, so I opened it up to let the wind blow away the static. 

I decided on a red clutch with silver handles and a few silver bangles. A couple of these have red on them too. 

You've seen these Keds before. They are like old friends. I told my daughter, don't get too close, because they are dirty. Ha, ha. 

Here are the two outfits side by side. 

The lace body button-up sleeve cardigan is a fun piece to add a different dimension to many of your outfits. You could probably belt is as well, though I didn't think of that for this post. 

What do you think of these outfits? Do you like these or the ones last week with the dress and skirt better? 

Don't forget Eva Trends is offering a 15% discount if you order using the code AC15. 

Thanks for stopping by the blog today. 

The items from Eva Trends were gifted to me. This post also contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Friday linking up with Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots, Nicole of High Latitude Style. 

Old Becomes New (or Not)

Last month, I introduced this column with a look at a suit wear jacket that I had thrifted a few years ago. It is nothing outstanding and I didn't really like how it looked in my original post. You can see that post here. While I was nearly ready to get rid of the piece then, I had a few people, bloggers and other, comment that they would like to see the piece styled with a shift dress, pencil skirt or skinny jeans. I thought, why not! For today's post, I am styling this long blazer two different ways. The first with a shift dress and the second with a pair of skinny jeans. 

Look 1 - Over a shift dress.

I first introduced you to this navy shift dress March of last year in my Piece Perfect column. You can see that post here. A shift dress is a, streamlined dress that can be dressed up or down and accessorized in a variety of ways because of its simplicity. 

I have had it with trying to take pictures in the frozen tundra! Ha, ha. I know, I am a wimp. In my defense it was about 37 degrees. What kept me inside, however, was the wind chill. Hello, spring! I also have to make a comment about my hair. It is not looking its best and that may have to do with not having a trim since before Christmas. It gets pretty frizzy on the ends. I need to schedule an appointment soon! Okay, I am done complaining!

In the first post I did on this long blazer, I mentioned that it is a brand called Braeten. My shift dress is Land's End. This dress is made out of a heavy Ponte knit, which gives it some structure and hides things like panty lines and bulges quite well. Land's End has a similar one here.  

To bring a little spring color to the outfit, I added the green chiffon scarf and my bright green Imoshion satchel. This was thrifted bag, but I learned when I looked it up that this is a vegan bag retailer, that has become quite popular in Hollywood. Here are a few cute options from other vegan retailers here, here and here. 

Here is the dress without the jacket and me with more silly faces. I look like I am falling asleep. Ha, ha. 

I decided on navy hose, and navy heels. I think it gives me a more trim, elongated look. 

Look 2 - Over skinny jeans

This second look features a pair of Apt. 9 skinny jeans. For this look I decided to wear a bright yellow top to create a different look. The top really pops under the more sedate blazer. 

The yellow sweater is an old brand called East 5th. When I pulled the top out, I also thought of my Relic clutch, which led to grabbing a necklace with purple beads and a silver chain. The clutch also made me think of my brown Life Stride ankle boots. See how one piece leads to another and another? I love when that happens!

Here is a picture of the outfit without the jacket. 

Here are the three outfits side by side. 

What do you think? Should I keep this piece or get rid of it? What would you do? I really like the look with the skinny jeans. I think the darker color and the bright sweater make the outfit so much more interesting and appealing. The long blazer by itself is rather bland, but pairing it with other bolder colors can make the piece a perfect jacket for transitioning into spring. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on whether you think I should keep this piece or not. Let me know in the comments sections below. You opinions and comments really help my blog to grow. 

Have a great weekend everyone!

Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane, and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. Linking up with Jodie in the Ageless Style lInkup

Ordinary Amy - Tomboy Memories

I am using the word ordinary as a term to mean usual, not plain. I don't want any of you thinking I only think of myself as ordinary...okay, so once in a while I do struggle with the old self image, but that is not what I am intending to address with this new monthly column on the blog. 

Ordinary Amy is going to be a monthly column emphasizing outfits that are my go to's. These will be pieces that I frequently reach for, because I find them, comfortable, easy to wear and pair other pieces with, yet still stylish. 

A v-neck sweater, red in honor of Valentine's Day, a pair of skinny jeans and a pair of combat boots. Casual, comfy, warm and a masculine edge. 

I grew up in a home with two older brothers. Being the only girl and the baby, it was my goal to try to keep up with the boys, as annoying as that was to them. Ha ha. From playing in the creek behind the house, to making trails in the field down the road for their dirt bikes, I tried to follow them everywhere. As far as I was concerned I was a boy, just like them. I had a short hair cut and wore pants as often as I could. I can still remember my mother and I fighting about the fact that she thought I should wear dresses to school. She gave that fight up before too long. When we went swimming in our pool, I would wear a pair of shorts and that was it...no top. I was a boy. why should I have to wear a top? (This was before I began to blossom and hit puberty, so flat chested, was flat chested.)

I can still remember when I got my first period. I explained to my mother what was happening and when she told me what it was, I ran from the house angry and crying. I didn't want to be a girl. Gradually, hormones did their job. I started to change in shape and I also began to notice boys! I became extremely private and modest, even around my brothers, and I became interested in clothing, hair styles and eventually make up. 

However, I still prefer pants over dresses and I like looks that have an edgy, military or masculine vibe. 

This type of look is something I turn to again and again. I love boots. I also like skinny jeans. I used to never wear them, so when I finally tried them, I fell in love. The thing I like about skinnies is that I can wear them all year round. In fall and winter I tuck them into boots and in spring and summer, I roll them up and pair them with ankle boots, sneakers, flats or flip flops. 

A chunky, cable knit sweater is stylish, but forgiving enough that I don't have to worry about my bulges. This particular sweater is Chaps brand from the Kohl's clearance rack. I am wearing a short sleeve lace tee underneath which provided an extra layer of warmth and a touch of ivory around the neck line. 

When I started putting this outfit together, I chose the sweater and jeans first, but then I thought of adding this fun bomber jacket which I introduced on the blog earlier in my travel post from last March. This little number is actually quite warm. It was a JC Penney clearance rack find and is Arizona brand. I think I paid about $5.00 for it. 

With the bomber jacket I knew I had to wear my thrifted combat boots, giving the whole look a WWII feel. With that in mind, it made me think of my dad. 

My dad, who grew up in a pacifist Mennonite family, was a hard working farm boy with a fascination with airplanes. When he was old enough he left home and went to work for the Curtiss-Wright airplane factory in Buffalo, NY. making wings for the P-47 for WWII. My dad, however was not content to make wings, he wanted to enlist. When he went to sign up, they asked if he was employed. When he told them where he worked they rejected him, saying his work was more important to the war effort than being in the service. Being the man he was, he waited a little longer, quit his job and went back to enlist. They let him right in. His enlistment came late in the war and he ended up serving in Air Sea Rescue on a B-17. 

I found this little pendant necklace somewhere along the way, possibly at Charming Charlie. What originally drew me to it was the bling, but it suddenly occurred to me that it would be a good piece to remind me of my dad. My dad passed away eleven years ago, but obviously I still think of him often. 

There you have it...ordinary me, on an ordinary day. I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope you have an extraordinary weekend! 

(With the awful tragedy that occurred yesterday morning in Parkland, Florida I thought to add a note to this post. I pray for the families, friends and school staff left behind after the mass shooting. My heart is heavy as you deal with the aftermath and I pray that time will bring healing for the loss you are feeling.)

Friday linking up with Shelbee of Shelbee on the Edge, Jo-Lynne of Jo-Lynne Shane and Jennie of A Pocketful of Polka Dots. 

Beautiful Blogger Bests - Thinking Fall with a Cable Knit Sweater Vest

This week I am featuring a beautiful blogger from down south. Tania Stephens was born in Tennessee and currently lives with her hubby in Southwest Virginia. Tania is a fireball. She is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She works at a lumber yard, is an active member in her women's club, has deep faith, and has an enormous following for her blog, 50 is Not Old, which she started in 2015. It is easy to see why Tania is so popular. She is a real, actual woman and she tells the best stories. She has a classic style and loves jewelry and handbags! Who doesn't? Ha, ha. You can read more about Tania on her About page. 

The look I was inspired by just shouted fall to me. As the weather starts to get chilly we can break out our cozy sweaters and reach for our jackets. This post was from September 26, 2016 and is titled, Cable Knit Sweater Vest. You can see Tania's original post by clicking on the link or by clicking on the picture. 

I love simplicity and that is what this outfit says to me. What is more comfortable and simplistic than a pair of jeans, long sleeve button up and a cozy vest? Add a great pair of boots, a colorful bag and some fun jewelry and you are ready to go. I love how Tania's vest, boots and jewelry all tended toward a more neutral color against the dark wash of her jeans. Her white blouse and bright blue bag make the outfit shine. 

Here is my version.

You can see here my sweater vest is orange, so I have a bit more color. I also tucked my jeans into my boots, where as Tania rolled hers up. A different style of boot calls for a little different handling of the individual pieces. 

Since I wore orange, I decided to accessorize with orange jewelry too. This is the only white button up I own and while I like the casual style of the blue chambray stripe, I think I need a plain white one. I probably should have tucked it in as well. I was feeling rather sloppy! Ha, ha.

Here you can get a better look at my boots and my green thrifted bag. I thought green would be the perfect pop of color against the dark wash jeans and the orange sweater and accessories. 

As always, I am thankful for the many other bloggers that continue to inspire and motivate me dress in a style that is all my own, but that can learn from others. Be sure to stop by Tania's blog and give her some love.

Have a great weekend. If you follow my faith blog, be sure to check back tomorrow for my Mulling it Over post on Ephesians 6:16. 

I appreciate each one of you and all the support you give me. If you have a chance leave me a comment. I'd love to hear from you. 

Photo credit (mine) Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

 Thursday linking up with Nicole of High Latitude Style. Friday linking up with Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style, 

Pantone Spring 2017 - Flame

If you follow the Pantone colors, you know that they come up with a palette every spring and fall that contains ten colors. This palette becomes the basis for what fashion designers and architectural designers use as their color schemes for clothing, accessories, paint colors and home goods, such as furniture, bedding and pillows.

Today's earthy hue is called Flame. This bold, deep orange is evocative of sunny days sipping iced tea and warm evenings sitting around a campfire toasting marshmallows. It also shouts of day lilies and fuzzy peaches warmed by the mid day sun.

Earlier in the year, Liz of With Wonder and Whimsy and I, did a collaboration sneak peek of the Spring Pantone colors. To see my post click here. For one of my outfits I styled the same pair of pants that I used in last week's post and called it Flame. Just for fun I want you to see the difference in these two oranges.

When we initially did our sneak peek back in February, I thought these orange pants were pretty close to the actual Pantone color. Turns out I was wrong! See, I do mess up! Ha, ha. It's all good. I am still learning about color. Perhaps that is the reason I enjoy doing this series on the Pantone colors. The first orange really is more of a pumpkin color and has yellow undertones. Flame has more red undertones. So we could say, orange is orange is orange, but in reality, it isn't. 

The reason, I am spending a bit of time on this idea of color, is that I often hear people say, "I can't wear that color. It just washes me out." In reality, I think we can wear every color out there. You just have to know which version of the color is flattering for you. I probably would not wear the pumpkin orange near my face, but Flame, I can. However, I can wear the pumpkin orange as pants and it is no problem.

On to my outfit. This Flame utility jacket I purchased at Nordstrom Rack with the gift cards I received from winning a drawing on Jodie's Touch of Style.  I fell in love not only with the style, but with the color. 

I wore my dark wash skinny jeans, although I think any wash denim would look good with this orange. This orange would also look great with brown, khaki, olive and white. I rolled the jeans for a fun look and the lighter colored cuff adds some interesting texture. 

Since stripes are in I decided to wear my navy and white Loft tee. I found this at a thrift store. It is a nice weight and has an elastic bottom. I love that it is a tee, but hides my flaws. The best kind!

You can also see I kept the jewelry simple. Gold seemed to be a nice contrast, but I think silver would have worked as well. 

My navy blue bag, another thrift store find, is a Vera Wang. I love the dual tone and texturing on the bag, and, of course, the roominess. 

This was meant to be a transitional outfit, taking me from winter to spring. In Northwest Ohio, for me it is still pants weather, so I will be wearing this again. I went with a pair of ankle boots, but it could be just as cute with a pair of fun canvas sneakers or cute flip flops. 

What do you think of this orange? Do you think you like the pumpkin orange of my pants or this Flame color better? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. 

I hope you are enjoying this series on the Pantone Spring 2017 colors. I love to read your comments. Right now if you make a comment you won't know if I respond, but I always respond to your input. Just check back on the original post a day or so later and you will be able to see that. I am so thankful for your support.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I get a small trickle of income if you click on a shopping link. If you buy something through my post I get a small commission. That means a lot to me. All opinions expressed are my own. 

Photo credit Rebecca Trumbull. Make up Rachel Christensen.

Here are some possible "orange" options.

Have a great Tuesday!

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Nicki of Sweet Parrish Place, Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish. Wednesday linking up with Sara and Hannah of The Perfect Storm. Friday linking up with JoLynne Shane in the Fashion Friday link up and Nancy of Nancy's Fashion Style. 

How to Wear a White Blouse - Under a Tee Shirt

This week I am teaming up with Jodie of Jodie's Touch of Style to show you ways to style a simple white button up blouse. A long sleeve button up blouse is a piece most of us have in our closets. However, if you are like me, you only think of wearing it under a blazer or a cardigan. When Jodie told me she was going to show different ways to style a white blouse, I was intrigued. I told her to count me in for a collaboration and our posts this week will show you what we came up with. 

Today's challenge was to style the blouse under a tee shirt. In the photos below you can see Jodie styled her blouse under a striped long sleeved tee, while Nancy (Jodie's step mom) and Charlotte (Jodie's mom) styled theirs under a short sleeve tee. Nancy is wearing a solid colored polo shirt, while Charlotte is wearing a graphic crew neck. Aren't these three ladies the bomb?! Just click on the picture to see the whole post on Jodie's site. Be sure to give them some love!

I decided I would style my blouse under a graphic tee. Little did I know I was going to find the perfect piece when my husband and I went on our little get away last weekend.

With this fun graphic tee being the focal point, I decided to go biker chic for my outfit! 

I decided to add my burgundy fringe bag to bring in some color.

To complement the look I threw on my brown faux leather biker jacket. 

I finished with a few pieces of edgy jewelry.

Here is a closer look at the boots and bag! 

I hope you enjoyed this post on styling a white button up blouse under a tee shirt. Be sure to stop by Jodie's blog and check out the full post on how she styled her white blouse on three generations of lovely women! Also, check back on Wednesday to see another way to style a white button up blouse.

I appreciate your comments and it helps my blog to grow when you leave me some love. If you follow my faith page, I will be posting Monday's Mulling it Over post tomorrow, where I will be continuing to peruse Ephesians 6. 

This post contains affiliate links. All comments and opinions are my own. 

Monday linking up with Catherine of Not Dressed as Lamb. Tuesday linking up with Shelbee in the Spread the Kindness Link up,